Intricacies
by babybuonarroti
Summary: Even half dazed and mostly confused he would still latch onto her for her honesty, and the look he gave her as he begged her understanding pierced her very soul. She didn't agree with Stein's orders, none of them had... but, "...Who is Maka?" Rated T (Subject to change).
1. Who Is Maka?

**It's been a while since I've attempted a multi-chapter story for a multitude of reasons, but I've decided I'll give it another whirl. For those of you that know me from *'Kill Me' or *'Rippin' and Ridin'', I'm sorry to say that both stories are currently discontinued and will most likely stay that way for quite some time (*Former usernames: monicadayne87, thegirlwithgoldeneyes). I hope that you can find solace in this new fic as my writing style has improved a lot from the last time that I posted anything. I hope that you'll enjoy my newest fic.**

* * *

Some may argue that the best plans are those that are left loose as to accommodate what has yet to be predicted, while some may argue that the best plans are those that are wound tightly and woven intricately down to the very fibers of their existence. If he's certain about anything, it's that the preference for planning all comes down to circumstance. The current circumstances are as such: she is missing and there doesn't seem to be a clue to be found about her disappearance.

His hands have run through his hair more times than he can count, and he chose to ignore the fact that it was coming out in white gobs whenever he twisted his fingers into his scalp. The area of white surrounding his crimson irises was riddled with red veins. He hadn't slept in two- no, three days now, and his legs had gotten so tired of pacing that he'd collapsed onto his knees and settled for idly rocking some time ago. He was distantly aware of the knocking at his door, but not even his subconscious could be bothered. He did manage a glance upward through strings of ivory when his door was kicked in though, and a blur of blue knelt in front of him with worried eyes.

Words were muttered but he wasn't concerned, his thoughts were on a plane of their own, just circulating around in his skull and confining him to loops. His body was shaken back and forth violently, and it responded by vomiting up the long emptied contents of his stomach, a sickly upheaval of stomach fluid and saliva being awarded to his jeans. He could feel himself being dragged backwards, the ache in his knees becoming apparent once his legs were straightened and his pants wrenched from his body to be replaced with new ones.

He wasn't sure when he had blacked out but once he had awoken he assumed it had been long overdue. His throat was sandpaper, as he discovered once he tried to swallow what little moisture resided in his mouth. His chapped lips parted and a groan escaped him, the brightness of the stark white room enough to make him flinch. "Where is she?" Was his only question, a rasped out, desperate puff of air.

"He's awake!" He heard, a familiar female voice that seemed to be only a few feet away.

And then he was crowded. There was a group of them, and suddenly he was hopeful, but as he scanned them he discovered that she wasn't among them. He silently cursed. He shouldn't be here, he should be searching. He should be helping, saving. "Where is she?" He repeated pitifully, and suddenly a glass of cold milk was thrust at him to drink. He obliged. The creamy substance was like instant relief as it coated his throat.

"Soul. You were so exhausted from sleep loss, dehydration, and malnutrition that you began to hallucinate and eventually passed out." The doctor explained, his darkened, indifferent eyes piercing him even behind the glasses. "Can you tell me what caused this fit of hysteria?"

Soul shot upright, startling the group that had gathered around him. The world around him spun, but he still made a move to jump from the bed and dart out the door. He wasn't quick enough, for the group had him restrained before he could even get a foot on the floor. He growled at them to release him, but to no avail. "She's gone! They took her! I have to find her!"

"Who is gone, Soul?" The woman with long black hair and honest blue eyes asked him, and something in her tone caused him to relax. He ceased his struggling.

"Maka is gone, Tsubaki. Can't you see?" He begged her, hands trembling as he sought for signs of understanding in her expression.

"Who is Maka?"

* * *

"Soul, isn't it your turn to cook?" She asked, her arms crossed over her chest and an accusing scowl etched into her face.

He grinned at her, letting his jagged teeth poke from behind pale lips. He took hold of his tie, tightening and straightening it to draw attention to what he was wearing. As her gaze flicked down to quickly take in the sight of him in a burgundy button down tucked into black dress pants and a grey pinstripe waistcoat to compliment the nice black tie, her mouth fell open in her evident confusion. His grin grew into a smirk.

"Hah?" She gestured to his apparel with her hand, the other planting itself on her hip as she scrutinized him.

"Are you going to get ready for dinner or what?" He teased, crossing his arms and plastering a faux scowl over his features. "Jeez." He added for good measure, glancing over his shoulder at her after a good roll of crimson eyes.

Her brows hiked up on her forehead at his sudden shift in moods, but she couldn't help the bright smile that crept across her face as she nodded and raced to her room to get ready. When her door slammed, he dropped his act, running a hand through soft pallid locks and smiling towards her door. Her excitement was the very reason he'd become so fond of surprising her with things like this, and once he'd heard about the new Italian restaurant that just opened up that week he knew he wanted to take her there.

Sure, maybe he would gripe the entire bike ride there about how _long_ it took her to get ready, but he didn't really mind. He gave her plenty of time because he had anticipated how long her routine would take, and they ended up being early for their reservation. And sure, maybe she would get offended and slam some book she had acquired from Death knows where down onto his head as soon as he parked the bike, but he didn't really mind that either. He didn't mind because he had expected no less. He knew her like the back of his hand.

* * *

All day they had been searching; all night they had been searching; all week they had been searching, searching, searching. What they found wasn't her, what they found wasn't anything at all. Nothing. An entire living, breathing human being completely disappeared from the surface of the Earth, and it was like they had never been here in the first place.

They were all incredibly discouraged, but they refused to give up. They continued to rotate out in shifts, one search party after the next, never leaving a moment unguarded. Once Soul had elected to search on his own, everyone had become extremely skeptical. Now they did not have only one objective, but two. One, find her. Two, watch him. And he hadn't reported in days, hadn't answered a damn phone call, sent up a flare, anything.

It was Tsubaki that had finally demanded that they go check on him after days of Kid and Black*Star preaching that he needed space. She had finally heard enough, worried enough, to slam her fists on the table and insist without apology that they go to his apartment. It was Black*Star who pounded on the door twice before becoming aggravated at his minion's insolence- or maybe just worried for his friend- and kicked the door completely off its hinges.

It was there that they found Soul, his head drooping with long white bangs angled towards the floor and his hands plastered to his knees. Liz called out to him and received no answer. Black*Star rushed to him, sliding towards him on his knees and grabbing his shoulders. Soul's head had lolled back to stare up at the ceiling and they got a good look at his condition. A gasp was shared between Liz and Tsubaki, while Kid flinched and directed his gaze elsewhere. Even Patty was quiet.

Black*Star's voice was soft as he pleaded, "Soul?" No response. "Soul? Soul?!" And he started to yell, just repeating his name as he shook him violently. His concern was unique and destructive, but ultimately _there_.

"Black*Star, stop!" Kid had yelled at him, but it had been too late, as Soul was already heaving and belching up a mixture of bile and saliva. Though there wasn't much, it was enough to drip from his mouth in strings and seep through his dark grey jeans. The same jeans he had been wearing three days ago when they last saw him. Had he slept? Had he eaten? It didn't appear so.

Liz and Tsubaki rushed to his side, pulling him backwards so his legs could straighten and his back could rest against the couch. Kid was the one to quickly change his pants after retrieving another pair from Soul's room. He blacked out soon after and they rushed him to the Dispensary.

They had all shared the same feelings of pity, guilt, frustration. Soul was tearing himself to shreds looking for her. His apartment looked as if he had ripped everything apart searching for something, _anything_. They felt helpless. It had been almost a week and they hadn't found anything, any kind of solace for him or for themselves.

When he awoke he was ready to go again, and they had restrained him in time to keep him in bed. He searched their faces, his gaze resting on the most trustworthy of the lot. Even half dazed and mostly confused he would still latch onto her for her honesty, and the look he gave her as he begged her understanding pierced her very soul. She didn't agree with Stein's orders, none of them had...

But... "Who is Maka?"


	2. Where Is Maka?

**I can't say for sure how often I will be updating though I know I'm going to try to find a happy balance between quality and productivity. Feedback is much appreciated and thank you for reading.**

* * *

"Who is Maka?"

Three words. Three words was all it took for his entire life to come crashing down on top of him. The ceiling seemed too low and the crisp infirmary blankets were trying to swallow him whole. He wasn't sure whether to hyperventilate or stop breathing altogether, so he settled for some jumbled combination of both. Three words sat on his shoulders and chest and slammed him into the Dispensary bed with their massive weight.

He had no clever response, no declaration of idiocy, no cry of outrage to award them. All he had was a soft repetition of, "No." To offer, and they all stared back at him with such confused or indifferent expressions that he almost _believed_ them. They didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but that couldn't be possible. Even through their wavelengths he couldn't feel a damn thing except sympathy for him. "Don't- Don't sell me that. Don't do this to me." He begged finally, sounding more broken than angry as his throat constricted.

"Would you give up the blubbering already?" Black*Star chastised, his fists firmly digging into his hips as he regarded Soul with an annoyed sideways glance. "Chh- who would've thought that my most loyal servant would turn out crazy?" He griped noisily.

His bright red gaze swiveled to land on Black*Star, taking in his entirely-too-proud demeanor and the way he seemed completely unphased by the situation. He grit his jagged teeth, unable to shake the feeling of absolute dread sitting in the pit of his stomach and making it impossible to move. How could this be? How could they just...?

"Liars." He spat, glaring at them all from his position on the hard Dispensary bed. Why would they turn their backs on her like this? How could they put on this act like she was nothing to them? "You can't expect me to just believe-"

"Believe what, Soul?" Stein asked, rolling over in his chair to shine a light in each of his garnet eyes, highlighting the intricate patterns and shades of red woven into his irises around the pitch black center. "You experienced a breakdown a few days prior to your hospitalization that caused you to stop eating and sleeping. I need you to tell me what caused such a massive breakdown."

No... No, no, no, no, no, no. They didn't really expect him to believe this? "Maka disappeared a week ago and I've been looking for her ever since. So have all of you! How could you just pretend you don't know her? She's waiting on us, she needs us! She needs me! Let me go!" He thrashed about again, but they wouldn't let up their hold on him. "I can't believe you would all just give up on a teammate, a friend, _my_ Maka like this! Is this what happens when someone is in need? You pretend they don't exist?"

The few moments of silence felt like an eternity as the suspense gripped everyone by their throats. "Sometimes the mind, once triggered by an event that releases an old memory or feeling that's been suppressed, can create explanations for itself and its own behavior. In your case, your brain's explanation is a false memory of 'Maka'. Do you understand, Soul?" Stein went on to explain, speaking slowly and carefully and making sure to articulate each word. He couldn't startle him into another fit, that would be entirely counterproductive.

The words slowly seemed to seep into his finely tanned skin, and he took his time to process exactly what he was being told. His mind created memories of a fictitious girl to cover up something larger in his past? He fought the urge to hyperventilate, to scream, to jump and run from the room and never look back. "Lies." He muttered weakly, clenching his fists and slamming them down onto the mattress. "LIES!" He repeated, angry moisture prickling at his eyes. "Stop screwing around! She needs me! Why are you doing this? Why? Please, someone tell me why!"

"We will allow you some time to process." Stein announced, turning his pointed stare on the other inhabitants of the room. They quickly filed out, leaving Soul alone to writhe in his feelings of confusion and betrayal.

The door shut with a resounding click. "How could they?" His heart was in his throat, pounding and choking him. He sat up, pressed his back against the headrest. His body was exhausted. Hot garnet burned a trail over to the window, trying to melt holes through the glass. He wasn't sure when his feet had become acquainted with the cool tile floor, much less when he had moved in the first place, but he wasn't concerned with that now.

"Where is Maka?"

* * *

"Hey Soul, I'm going to the library for a little bit, okay?" She called over her shoulder just before she opened the door to leave. She was dressed casually, red plaid mini skirt and white button down. It was a weekend and she couldn't be bothered to put on her tie or vest, so she settled with what she had on.

"Wait." He answered, standing up from the couch and lazily shoving his hands in his pockets. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"To the library? Soul, you hate the library." She argued, placing her hands on her hips with a teasing smile. "Stay here and get some rest. Your show comes on today anyways."

He grinned at that. She remembered. "The show you hate." He agreed, then quickly returned them to the subject at hand. "At least let me give you a ride."

She rolled her eyes, those brilliant viridian eyes. "It's a nice day, I'll just walk." She argued, stepping outside the door without giving him time to protest. She poked her head back in with a, "Seriously, don't worry about me." Before closing the door completely.

And he was alone. He sighed and flopped onto the couch, scowling as he flipped through the channels on the TV. "Sheesh."

* * *

Once the door to the Dispensary was shut, the group shared a collective breath. They couldn't take lying to him like that, it was cruel and wrong, and he had already suffered so much in such a short amount of time. No one was sure if they could keep up the act very long. He wasn't very convinced, and he shouldn't be if they were honest. They were resting on a thin sheet of ice over freezing waters and the cold was starting to grip their feet.

"Is this really necessary?" Liz demanded, glaring at Stein with crossed arms. She felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't have brought herself to meet Soul's gaze, not when he looked so _not Soul_. She had never seen him like that, so broken and torn and _betrayed._ Even in his darkest moments she couldn't remember seeing him look so defeated.

"It's necessary if you care about the health of your friend." Stein shot back, the bite in his tone enough to make her swallow her objections.

"But what do we tell him when we find Maka?" Tsubaki asked quietly, and it was plain to see how unhappy she was with having to lie to her friend like she had. Black*Star placed a hand on her shoulder.

"The truth." Kid answered simply, not looking the least bit pleased with himself or the situation at hand. "There is nothing more we can do. We owe him that much."

Liz sputtered out an indignant cry of, "But he'll never trust us again!" She couldn't believe them. "This plan has too many holes."

"Soul's feelings for Maka are driving him to madness. His soul is yearning for hers and it won't let him rest until he finds her. Our only hope is convincing him she's not real until we can find her ourselves. Which do you value more, his trust or his life?" Stein demanded, always eager to place everything into perspective. "Ask yourselves."

"He's right, you know." Black*Star grunted, though his eyes burned furiously and his soul swelled. "So quit sittin' around with your thumbs up your asses! I'm going to find Maka and bring her back so we can drop this stupid charade!"

* * *

The room was dark, but it had always been dark. She no longer had the energy to pull at the massive weights around her wrists and ankles, the skin beneath her shackles already ripped and stained with blood. She settled with her head against the cool concrete wall she was leaning against, chest heaving. The air was thick, muggy, and the moisture that clung to her uncovered skin and the fabric of her tattered clothing was anything but pleasant.

"Where am I?" She muttered her demand for the thousandth time, her throat raw from screaming. On the first day, before she was thrown into this dreadful dungeon of a place, she heard one of them say something about putting her in 'Storage'.

She could only assume that this cell was what they called Storage, where they would neglect her and deny her of even the most basic necessities for an obscene length of time. She hadn't seen light in days, had only slept in and awoken to the same cruel darkness without a stitch of food or water. A cough ripped itself from her throat and she nearly doubled over in pain, but she refused to show weakness even in this pitch black room. Her teammates would come for her. _He_ would come for her. She had to keep her hopes high even with her head hanging slack, greasy ash blonde bangs draping downwards and scraping her lap.

She didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified when the large iron door adjacent from her creaked open, a dim light falling over the room and forcing her to squint. Brown leather shoes, which had seen a significant amount of wear, stepped into said light, belonging to whomever had barked at her, "On your feet, Albarn." His voice reminded her of how rubber tires sounded against loose gravel.

She refused to comply, merely glancing up at him and resigning to her former position with her head hanging. She focused instead on steadying her breathing, on devising a plan of action if the situation arose that she was given an opening. Outraged, the figure stormed into the room and snatched her by her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. He was unfamiliar, but she wasn't exactly sure who she was expecting to see in the first place. He sneered at her, "You wish to be defiant now? Who are you putting on this show for, hm? They can't see you. Don't delude yourself, measly girl."

"They don't have to see me to know when I've given up." She replied simply, her gaze burning into his.

He released her jaw, slamming her head back into the wall and making her dizzy. "Give her something to keep her alive." He barked over his shoulder, distaste thick on his tongue. "She's no use if she's dead."

"Where am I?" She demanded again, though this time her question could actually be heard.

He answered her with a smirk.


	3. Something to Show You

**Thanks to those of you reviewing, reading, favoriting, and following. I appreciate the support. However, I am coming up on a 14 hour double and a 15 hour double as I start my new job tomorrow and I still have to keep up my shifts at my old job. I'll update ASAP, I'm just not sure when that will be.**

* * *

"Soul is missing." Tsubaki spit out, forcing the words to come out of her mouth as fast as they could. No one wanted to hear this; this was the last thing anyone wanted to hear. The usually soft spoken weapon had come as soon as she could possibly manage after having gone to the Dispensary to check on Soul, only to find that the window had been busted open and there was no sign of the white-headed Death Scythe anywhere. She had burst in on a meeting between Kid and Stein, one hand still clutching the doorknob for dear life while the other clung to the door frame. Her chest heaved as evidence of her rush to find them and her eyes begged them for an answer.

Kid turned his sharp golden gaze on her, demanding, "Tell me everything you know."

With Maka's disappearance still weighing painfully on the forefront of everyone's mind, the last thing they needed was the other half of their weapon-meister duo going missing. Having him on bed rest _because_ of the strength of his soul's reaction to the sudden loss of hers was horrible enough.

The weapon nodded, straightening up and entering the room completely with her hands clasped together. "Black*Star and I went to check on Soul in the Dispensary and he wasn't there, the window was smashed. Black*Star ran off to go check his apartment, and I came here as soon as possible. I tried calling him on the way but he didn't pick up." She reported, still tense from the prior days' events.

Kid nodded, slowly closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. "Could he have gone looking for Maka again?" He looked up at Stein, who seemed to be mulling it over as well.

"Highly likely." Stein answered, heaving a sigh. "Though he won't get far in his current state."

"Tsubaki, regroup with Black*Star. Once you've searched Soul's apartment and the surrounding areas, report back to me." Kid ordered, pinching the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb.

"Kid, you may want to see this!" Kilik shouted hurriedly as he rushed through the open door to the conference room. He thrust a security tape at him from one of the local streetlights. The date was marked for about a week prior, when Maka went missing.

* * *

Dry, calloused hands gripped the cool metallic picture frame, knuckles painted with splotches of white and pink as a show of the force of his pressure. The picture inside featured Soul with a finger hooked into the corner of his mouth, dragging it downwards to reveal sharp teeth fitting together like a puzzle. There seemed to be a good amount of space next to him, and he squinted as an image seemed to form in said space.

 _She_ appeared. The sharp contrast of her image to his own forced a gasp from him. He must have been about thirteen years old when the picture of him was taken, looking bored and unenthusiastic as ever. Yet the image of Maka was recent, and she was visibly exhausted, dark circles ringing her eyes and a coat of oil and dirt blanketing her skin. She looked starved, abused, _tired_. Ultimately, she did not look like the Maka he remembered, and the once flaming sparks of emerald that were her eyes seemed to hold only a dull flicker of light.

His hands trembled violently as the image disappeared; vanished just as it had come. The offensive object was slung from his hands to connect with a wall across the room, and he could faintly hear its glass shatter and rain down on the floor just as the Dispensary window had. Just as his entire world had.

"Stop." He begged, his long pianist fingers twisting into his soft white hair and curling against his scalp. His knees gave out beneath him and he collapsed under the immensity of his confusion. Was she real? Had she ever been? Where is she now? _Where is she?_ Garnet eyes were sheathed by faintly pink eyelids which squeezed shut of their own accord as pale lips drew upward in a pained snarl.

The scene around him shifted, the air turning cool- no, cold- and smooth notes flirted with his ears. Familiarity drenched him. It was overwhelming, and his eyes snapped open as the air violently returned to his lungs- when had he stopped breathing?

"Hello again, Soul."

And suddenly he was sitting upright in a very nice black upholstered chair, one leg crossed over another to form a ninety degree angle. His head felt clearer than it had for days as cognizant thought returned to him. He inhaled long and deep as his eyes roamed the Black Room. They fell on the Little Demon.

He growled heavy in his throat, his eyes narrowed into slits. "What do you want?" He sneered, hardly attempting to keep his voice down.

"Oh come on, is that any way to greet an old friend?" The Little Demon taunted, slowly moving to a rhythm that didn't match the smooth tone of the music. "A business partner, dare I say."

"I already have a partner." He bit back, his voice scalding compared to the cold air that filled the small room.

"Oh, but do you?" He snickered. "Are we sure that's a real memory?"

"Fuck off!" He barked, leaning forward to bare his teeth at the little thing.

"Can't you be at least a little thankful that I've paused the acceleration of your spiral into madness?" The red oaf grinned, the pull of his lips revealing sickening yellow teeth.

"You pretty much _are_ my madness." He snapped. "I thought I put an end to you, Little Bastard."

The Little Demon snorted. "Not all of your problems are going to be that easy to _swallow_." He fired back. Eventually he offered his hands in surrender, explaining, "I only mean to help. Don't you want to see her?"

Soul lurched at that, snatching the Little Demon up by an arm and hoisting him into the air. "You know where she is?!"

"Put me down, heathen!" He commanded, swinging his lengthy arms against Soul's suit-adorned chest.

Soul released him, allowing him to drop to the floor and land with a small 'thud'. He crouched down to stare- or glare, rather- at him. "Where is Maka?" He demanded, making sure to emphasize each word.

The Little Demon glared at him as if his gaze would strike him dead on the spot, but he managed to gesture towards a burgundy velvet curtain as it was drawn to reveal a petite blonde meister in weighted shackles. Her head hung limp, chin to her chest, with her ash-blonde bangs draping over her eyes in greasy, matted strings. She glanced upward, staring at Soul through her long neglected hair. He was at her side in an instant, gripping her shoulders and brushing the obstructions from her eyes.

"Maka!" He exclaimed, his voice wrought with concern and worry seeping deep into the powerful reds of his gaze.

"Soul?" She exhaled, her disbelief palpable as it coated her tongue. "Soul?" She repeated louder, clearer, and her throat no longer ached when she spoke. Her head no longer spun with the dizziness of fatigue. This room seemed to return her health. The crisp, cool air came as a relief all its own, but the feeling of having her soul so close to his was its own paradise.

"Don't worry, Maka. I'm coming for you." Soul assured, grinning as moisture pricked at his eyes. Her presence was a remedy for the sickness he'd been feeling ever since she left. Her soul was pure, cleansing, beautiful relief. "Can you tell me where you are?"

She smiled sadly, shaking her head. "The room I'm in is pitch black. I've heard it referred to as 'Storage' once briefly, when I was waking up from whatever sedative I was given." Her body trembled for a moment, but she managed to catch her breath and force herself to stop.

"So you don't know." He sighed in confirmation, raking a hand through his hair and muttering, "Shit."

"I-I'm sorry, Soul." She continued to smile for him, her soul reaching for his. "I guess I should've let you come with me after all."

He brought a balled fist to her head and lightly knocked it against her skull. "Idiot." He admonished lightly, still grinning at her.

She giggled, sounding like the chiming of bells and mixing with the sweet music playing around them. Her eyes were lit brilliantly, shining as they always had. "I... miss you." She admitted softly. She wouldn't tell him how badly she was being treated. She could see how haggard and stressed he appeared, like he hadn't rested since she disappeared. Knowing him, he really hadn't.

"I miss you too." He exhaled, "I'm on my way, Maka."

And the Little Demon's hand clasped around Soul's shoulder just as he moved to envelop his partner in his arms. The bastard drug him backwards from the room and quickly shut the curtain. Her soul seemed distant again, like the action of closing the curtain had banished her soul from the Black Room. Soul gasped, his chest pained from the sudden loss.

Soul whirled on the Little Demon, snatching him by his suit collar and demanding, "Why did you cut us off?"

"Because we still have unfinished business, _Evans._ Two minutes with the girl and you're a sniveling brat." The Little Demon barked in disdain. "You've gone soft. You _need_ me if you ever want to see your little meister again."

"Shut up, you piece of shit." Soul bit back.

"Come on, for old times' sake." He offered, grinning like a fool.

Soul merely glared at his outstretched hand in distaste.

* * *

"Maka!" Soul yelled as he walked through the door to the apartment. He had decided to run to the grocery store after his show ended to pick up a few things for dinner. She should be home from the library by now. "Maka!" He called again, kicking the door shut behind him and strolling over to dump the bags of groceries on the dining table.

When he still received no answer, he decided to check her room. "Jeez, asleep at this time of day?" He grumbled, knocking on her door. Still nothing. He sighed, bracing himself and opening her door. Her bed was made, room tidy, and absolutely no evidence that she had been home from the library yet.

His stomach churned, but he kept a cool head. Maybe she had decided to swing by Shibusen for a quick chat with a teacher like she sometimes did. He nodded. There was nothing to worry about, it was hardly even late.

Still, something was bothering him. Maybe he should go for a drive.

* * *

"Soul?" Black*Star yelled. "Soul?!" He repeated louder, shaking the scythe by his shoulders. He was trying desperately, albeit impatiently, to yank him from his daydream. "Answer your god, you insolent fool!"

Soul startled awake, gasping for breath as his eyes snapped open with renewed purpose. "Black*Star?"

"So you've finally come back, I see!" His boisterous friend announced, a valiant smile gracing his features. His look suddenly shifted to appear softer. "Everyone is waiting for you at Shibusen."

Soul nodded, grinning as he took Black*Star's offered hand. He pulled himself up from the floor. "Yeah, sorry for being so uncool."

He managed to keep his balance once he was on his feet, though he was still a bit disoriented from his current condition. He smiled wider, showing off his pointed teeth and using the back of his hand to wipe the thin sheen of sweat from his brow.

Black*Star punched his arm, glad to have his best buddy somewhat back to normal. The smile soon fell from his face as he asked, "So no more of this 'Maka' business, eh?"

Soul merely smirked. "Who's Maka?"


End file.
